Protective device



.ARTHUR PURDON, OF WILKINSBUBG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO VESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTURNG COMPANY, .A CORERATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

PROTEC'TVE DEVISE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1916.

Application filed June 21, 1912. Serial No. 705,004.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR PURDON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of VVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Protective Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to protective devices for systems of electrical transmission and distribution, and it has special reference to such devices as are employed in connection with high-potential transmission systems at points where such systems cross over or span telephone lines, lighting circuits, highways, or steam and electric railway systems, for the purpose of preventing damage or personal injury in case of an accidental breakage of the high-tension conductor or conductors. v The object of my invention is to provide a vprotective device of the above-indicated character which shall be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, quick, positive and reliable in operation, and be particularly adapted to instantaneously and concurrently release the respective ends of a spanning conductor in case the same becomes severed, whereby the possibility of subjecting underlying circuits, objects or persons to high potential is prevented.

According to my invention, l `provide the adjacent poles of a high-tension transmision system, whichare disposed on the respective sides of the area to beprotected, Y

with collapsible linkage mechanisms to support the respective ends of a conducting wire which is suspended between them and which spans the area to be protected, so long as said wire is intact.` These mechanisms, however, are so constructed as to depend upon the tension of the spanning wire, and are adapted to collapse and release the respective ends thereof instantly and concurrently incase said wire becomes broken. rlhus, the severed portions of the spanning wire are disconnected and segregated from the transmission system and hence can cause no damage or injury incase they come in contact with objects or persons.

.My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which- Figure 1 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in perspective, of a transmission system embodying my invention which crosses over or spans a second system of distribution, such as telephone or telegraph lines or a low-voltage lighting circuit. Figs. 2, 3 and A are, respectively, views in side elevation, in plan,- and in end elevation, of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 5 is a view in side j elevation, showing a portion of said mechanism in its collapsed condition.

Referring to the drawings, a high-potential transmission line, embodying conductors 1, 2- and 3, crosses over a low-voltage distribution system 4, and is suitably supported on adjacent poles or supporting structures 5 and 6 which are disposed at the respective sides of the low-voltage distribution system A or the area to be protected. The poles 5 and 6 are severally provided with suitable insulators 7 in accordance with well known practice, and an upwardly projecting member 8 is secured in position by means of a supporting member 9 which is suitably clamped or otherwise secured `to the insulator 7. rI he upright member 8 is provided with a parallel-motion linkage mechanism which comprises pivotally mounted arms 10 and 11 that are interconnected by means of a link 12. At the end of the lower and shorter arm 11, a forked retaining device 13 is pivotally mounted and comprises a main member 14- of curved cross section which is bent to elbow form to provide a normally vertical extension 15 having a longitudinal opening or slot 16 for a purpose to be hereinafter set forth. A member 17, also curved in cross section, is disposed at an angle to the extension '15 and is suitably secured thereto, while another member 18 is provided upon the opposite side of the extension 15 and is inclined thereto and provided with laterally projecting arms 19. The upper and longer arm 10 is bent downwardly at its end and is provided with an inclined end portion 20 that is bifurcated and is adapted, under normal conditions, to project beneath and engage the projecting arms 19 of the member 18.

Each end of the conducting wire 3, which spans the area to be protected, is provided with a ball 3a, or other suitable device, which is adapted to be retained in the forked device 13 between the parts 15 and 17 thereof. The portion of the conducting wire adjacent to the end ball 3a projects through the slot 16 and between the end portions 21 of the bifurcated member 20, said end portions 21 being Widely separated to accommodate the ball 3a. When the wire 3 is thus vsuspended between thecollapsible linkage mechanisms hereinbetore described, the tension thereot is suiiicicnt to maintain the portions 19 of the retaining devices 13 in positive and intimate engagement with the bi'lui'cated'end members 20 o'l" the upper arms 10, whereby the collapse of the linkage :mechanisms is prevented.

Secured `to, and projecting upwardly from, the upper arm 10 is a member 22 which is provided with a series of holes or apertures 23, and the conductors 1 and 2, forming parts oi' the high-tension transmission line, are secured to said member by any suitable means 24. It is evident that, through the agency of the openings 23, the point of attachment or the conducting Wires 1 and 2 may be adjusted as desired, whereby the force normally tending to rotate the linkage mechanism, hereinbefore described, in an upward direction, may be varied and adjusted to any desired amount. The upper arm 10 projects slightly beyond the supporting member 8, and is provided with a projecting member oi' iinger 25 which is adapted to coperate with av spring-supported stop 26 that is associated with the the tension of the spanning wire 3 which Vmaintains the projecting arms 19 of the ing this action, the balls 3a at the ends of members 18 in engagement with the bifurcated end portions 21 of the upper zii-m10.

. neutralizing the effect of said irst means..

However, if the wire 3 becomes broken, or otherwise severed, the tension thereof is relieved and the tendency of the linkage mechanisms to rotate upwardly is no longer opposed'. Hence, the disengagement of the end portions 21 from the projecting arms 19 is effected, thereby allowing the retaining devices 13 to instantly drop or collapse into the condition indicated in Fig. 5. Durthe spanning wire 3 are released from the retaining devices 13, and the severed portions of said wire are thus concurrently disconnected froin the high-tension system, thereby avoiding the possibility of subjecting any underlying low-voltage systems to dangerous potentials. The spring supported stops 2G are adapted to be engaged by the fingers 25 during the upward movement of the linkage mechanisms, whereby sudden shocks to the mechanism and associatedV conducting wires are prevented.

I have, for illustrative purposes, shown and described my invention as embodied in a single high-tensioii circuit, such, for instance, as a series arc lighting circuit, but

those skilled in the art will readily under-V stand that my invention is not restricted in this respect and isA equally applicable to a plurality of conducting wires, such as are employed in polyphase systems of transmission. Furthermore, although I have set forth my invention as embodying specific 'structural details and arrangement and location of parts, it is manifest that vvarious modifications maybe eiiected therein without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

I claim as my invention: c

1. In a protective device for connecting and disconnecting two portions of a transmission line conductor that vare normally held in tension, the combination with a collapsible linkage mechanism, of a retaining member therefor'pivotally'secured to one link of the mechanism, an extension provided on another link for normally restraining said retaining member,V means tending to disengage said retaining member and said extension, and additional means `whereby a conductor-portion held in tension may i neutralize the eifect of said first means.

` 2. In` a protectivedevice for connecting andV disconnecting two portionsfof a transmission line conductor Vthat are" normally held in tension, the combination with a parallel-motion linkage mechanism, of a retaining member secured to one link of said mechanism, an extensionV provided on another link thereof for normally engaging said retaining member, means tending to disengage saidk retaining member and said extension, and additional means` effective only when transmitting the tension obtainioo' ing in one of. theVV conductor-portions for Y In an apparatus for connecting and disconnecting two portions y oit a transmission line conductor one of which is normally held in tension, thecombination with a. linkageV transmission line conductor mounted uponV adjacent supporting structures in order to provide a conductor-portion that is normally subjected to tension, the combination with a parallel-inotion linkage device adapted to be mounted upon one of the supporting structures, and a retaining trical transmission line conductor mounted upon adjacent supporting structures, the combination with a parallel-motion device adapted to be mounted upon one of said supporting structures and comprising a plurality of pivotally mounted parallel arms and a connecting link, of a forked-retaining member pivotally associated with one of said arms and adapted to be engaged and restrained by the other arm under normal conditions, means tending to move said parallel-motion device to release said retaining member7 and an end member associated with a portion of the transmission line conductor and normally supported upon said retaining means whereby movement of said parallel-motion device is prevented.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 14th day of June,

ARTHUR PURDON. v Witnesses:

J.H. SHIPMAN, B. B. I-Invns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

